Sheet cutting and handling mechanism



March 31, 1931. J. SMITH SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MECHANISM 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed June 13 E. J. SMITH SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MECHANISM March 31, 1931.

Filed June 13, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 31, 1931. J, SMI H v 1,798,910

SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MECHANISM Filed June 13. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 31 1931. SMITH 1,798,910

SHEET CUT TING AND HANDLING MECHANISM Filed June 13. 1929 4 sheet -sheet 4 6% g INVENEOR. B

ATTO EY Patented Mar. 31, 1931" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERI EST. JLEMES SMITH, OF FLEET STREET, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORVTO GOSS PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, A CORPGRATION OFILIJINOIS SHEET CUTTING AND HANDLING MECHANISM Application filed June 13,

The invention relates tonew and useful improvements in sheet cutting, assoc1at1ng and folding mechanism and more partlcularly to such mechanism applied to fast rotary web printing presses, although the invention has other applications in web and sheet handling machines. I @b ects and advantages of the lnvention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the salnebeing reallzed and attained by means of the instriunenta'lities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the' principles of theinvention;

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly diagrammatic and" with certain old parts omitted, illustrating one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken through the central part ofFig. 1

Fig; 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; and y Figs. 42 to 7 are diagrams showing several of the optional manners in which the mecha- 'nismca'n be operated. p

This invention is directed to providing a novel and useful sheet cutting, collecting, sociating and iolding mechanism which is capacltated, amongst otherthings, to handle a product of extraordinary size, that is avery large number of sheets at high speed; the necessity for this aris ng, and the inventlon finding one of rtsmost' valuable applications in fast rotary printing presses. By my invention a plurality of running longitudinally folded webs are cut into sheets by a plurality of cutting mechanisms, the sheets then being associated and usually collected also, and thereafter folded as an entirety, and,

' thereby the capacity er a printing press, or

19 9. Serial No. 370,605.

other web-usingmachine is greatly increased. Optionally the plurality of longitudinallyfolded webs canbe cut into sheets by'a plu- Another feature of my invention is the, provision of optlonally operable transfer mechanism between the folding cylinders for transferring unfoldedsheets from one folding cylinder to the other and associating these sheets with those on the other cylinder prior to folding,

In the exemplary and. present preferred embodiment, broadly defined, two formers are employed, which usually receive the respective halves of a slit web, or anynumber of running webs associated at the head of the former, in the usual manner, Angle bars.

may likewise be employed if so desired, but usually will not be necessary.

The associated and longitudinally-folded running webs are led from one of the for ers to a cross-folding cylinder, which is provided withcutting means. In operative relation with the cross-folding cylinder is a.

cylinder. which cooperates to cut oif the sheets, and it maybe used optionally to collect one group, of sheets, which are then associated with thenext group of cut-oif sheets upon the cross folding cylinder.

Theassociated and longitudinally folded running webs from the other former g0 pri;

marily to a cutting and folding cylinder, and cooperating with this folding cylinder is another cutting cylinder, which also may be used optionally as a collecting" cylinder.

When so used the first group of sheets cut from the runningwebs by these cylinders is collected upon the collecting cylinder, and is then associated with a second cut-off group of sheets upon the folding cylinder. The sheets from the folding cylinder, whether collected or not, are transferred and associated with, the sheets upon the cross-folding cylinder (which may have been collected or not as already described).

The entire group of sheets is thenfolded oiffrom the cross-folding cylinder in the usual manner, except that provisions are made for handling the very large product which this mechanism renders possible. For this purpose, the forward or right-hand folding-off roller may be lowered as a new lead end of the associated sheets comes'by to permit clearance for the lead or head end of the sheets and for the impaling pins. The folding rollers are also longitudinally grooved so as to have a clinching or gripping action upon the fold as the sheets are thrust between them by the folding blades.

In the present embodiment there is provided a transfer cylinder, interposed between two folding cylinders, which is optionally operable and serves to transfer unfolded, collected or uncollected sheets from one folding cylinder to the other, and means are provided for variably positioning the transfer cylinder with respect to the folding "cylinders in accordance with the thickness and number of sheets transferred by it and the number and thickness of the sheets collected or carried by the folding cylinder to which the sheets are to be transferred, thereby enabling the mechanism to be adapted to a greater variation in the bulk of the product.

lVhen the transfer mechanism is silenced, the folding and collecting cylinders operate in the usual and well known manner, folded products being delivered by each" of the folding cylinders.

Preferably, the sheet cutting and collecting mechanisms are so constructed and arranged with respect to their respective folding cylinders that the cutting is effected nonconcurrently and this is preferably carried out by mechanism of the general type more fully shown and described in the application of Harvey D. Bell, Ser. No. 183,280, filed April 13, 1927, now Patent No.1,720,529, July 9, 1929. K

The mechanism also preferably, but not necessarily, embodies the movable folding rollers as set forth in the said application of Harvey D. Bell, so that the forward folding V ample inthe accompanying drawings, the invention is considered applied to a fast rotaryprinting press having a plurality of protecting units, the full-width, perfected webs from the various units being brought together at the rollers at the head of the two formers, which latter are fragmentarily shown in Fig. 1. Slitting means for the webs are provided, and may be located atand between the formers in a well-known manner.

Former 1 has the usual forming rolls 2 and 3 and guide rolls 4 and5, the running half web being associated and longitudinally folded at this point. They pass thence about the gripping and alining roller 6 which may be of the usual form. For effecting register or alinement of the Web leads and sheets, as shown, shaft 7 of this .roller is mounted in arms 8 and 9, which are pivoted upon a shaft 10 carried on the press frame. The screwthreaded adjustment 11 is provided whereby the position of the roller 6 may be varied to register the web leads and sheet heads with the subsequently operating mechanism.

The cross folding cylinder 25 may be of usual or other suitable construction and is shown with its shaft 26 journaled at 27 in the side frames of the press. The cylinder is shown provided with two folding blades 28 and 29, mounted diametrically opposite on the cylinder in a well-known manner. The operating mechanism for the folding blades is not shown, and may be of the standard Husby type usedonf the Goss printing.

press, or may be of the gear-actuated type;

The folding cylinder 25 as embodied, is provided with twosets of iinpaling pins, one set 31 being mounted upon corresponding arms fixedon a shaft 33, journaled in the running in' the groove cam 36, journaled loosely on the cylinder shaft 26. The other set of impaling pins 49 is of sim lar construction, being mounted upon a series of arms 50, fixed'to a shaft 51, 210111".

nalled diametrically opposite in the folding cylinder. The end of this shaft likewise projects'from the cylinder end, and fixed to the shaft is an arm 52, carrying a cam-roller 53, which also runs in the grooved actuating and timing cam 36.

The grooved cutting blocks 57 and 58 are oppositely mounted in the folding cylinder in the proper contiguous relationsto the inipaling pins and their cooperating cutting blades.

The cutting cylinder 69, which cooperates with the folding cylinder, ias its shaft 70..

mounted in bearingsTl in the press frame. This cylinder is provided with a cutting blade 72, which cooperates successively with the cutting grooves 57 and58 in thecross-folding cylinder, to cut off two groups of sheets for each revolution of the folding cylinder, the cutting cylinder making two revolutions for one of the folding cylinder. The optionally utilized collecting means comprises a set of impaling pins reciprocable in holes in the collecting cylinder contiguous with the cutting blade 72. These impaling pins are preferably mounted on a corresponding series of arms 76, lined on a shaft 77, journaled in the ends of the cutting cylinder.

The actuating means comprises an arm 78, fixed to the end of the shaft 77, which projects from the head of. the cylinder 69. This arm is provided with a cam-roller 79, running in the groove cam 80, which is mounted on the shaft of the cylinder 69, and may be provided with timing means of any suitable kind, as for instance, like that already described. for the impaling pins of the cross-folding cylinder. TVhen the cylinder is not used for collecting, the impaling pinsare retracted and silenced in any suitable manner, as for instance by sliding the arm 78 along the shaft 77 and thereby moving the cam roller 79 out of the cam 80.

Referring now to the other series of webs, the-associated. half webs run down and are longitudinally folded by, the former 100, forming rolls 101 and 102, and guiding rollers 103 and 10a cooperating therewith in the usual manner. The folding cylinder 121 has its shaft 122 mounted in journal bearings 123 in the machine frame and is provided with grooved cutting blocks 135 and 136 diametrically opposed to each other. der 121 is also provided with folding blades 130 and 131. Adjacent to and cooperating with the cutting block 135 is a series of impaling pins 137, which are fixed upon corresponding arms 138, which are fixed to a shaft 139, journaled in the heads of the folding cylinder 121. These pins are in position relatively to the cutting block 135 so as to take the heads or lead of thecut-ofi' webs. The actuating mechanism therefor comprises an arm 140,1:ixed to the end of the shaft 139, exteriorly to the cylinder, the arm carrying a Cam-roll 141, which runs in a groove cam 142, loosely mounted upon the shaft 122 of the cylinder. i i i The other set of impaling pins 149, cooperates in like manner with the cutting groove 136. These pins are fixed to a corresponding series of arms 150, fixed to a shaft 151, journaled in the heads of theicylinder. An actuating arm155 is fixed to the external end of the shaft 151 and is provided with a camroller 156, running in the groove cam 142.

Cooperating with the folding cylinder 121 is a cutting cylinder 169, which has its shaft 170 journalled at 171, in the side frames of the press. This cutting cylinder is similar Folding cylin- 1 cent to the cutting knife to take the Web leads. These pins17'3ware pivotally connected to corresponding series of arms 176, which are fixed to a shaft 17 7 j ournaled in the heads of the collecting cylinder. Actuating mecha nism for the pins is provided and may be simi-' lar to that shown in connection with :cyl-

inder 69.

Similarly, folding cylinder 121 isprovided with cooperating folding rollers 207 and. 208, similar in construction and operation to folding rollers 199 and 200 and cooperate with folding blades 130 and 131.

According to the present invention there is provided transfer means cooperating with the folding cylinders optionally operable to transfer the collected or uncollected sheets on one folding cylinder to the other foldingicylinder where'these sheets areassociated with other collected or uncollected sheets on the other folding cylinder, after which transfer operation, the associated sheets are simuh taneously folded off to form a single product comprising a plurality of, preferably four, sections. In the present embodiment this transfer mechanism comprises a transfer cylinder 220, preferably of the same diameter as the folding cylinders, and provided with two series of impahngpins 221 and 222 hired on arms 223 and224; Arms and 224-are fixed to shafts 225, 226 j ournaled in the heads of the transfer cylinder 220 andthe pins are sopositioned as to take the heads or lead ends of the sheets on folding cylinder. The ac tuating mechanism for the pins comprises arms 227, 228 fixed on the end of shafts 225 and 226,. exterior-1y ofthe cylinder 220, the arms carrying cam rollers 229,230 which run in a groove cam 231 loosely mounted on shaft 232 of the cylinder. i

Preferably, the transfer cylinder 220 is so constructed and j ournaled that it can be variably positioned with respectto the folding cylinders to compensate for the various thicknesses and numbers of sheets to be carried by the transfercylinder, and also to compensate for the different number and thickness of the sheets carried on folding cyilnder 25, and as embodied, this transfer cylinder is rotatably mounted in eccentric bushings236, at each of its ends, and these journals are, in turn, rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 237, slidable on the machine frame- For minutely vary ing the position of the transfer cylinder and retaining it in the desired position there are provided screws 238, threaded in depending lugs 239 on the'machine frame, which serve to vary the distance of the transfer cylinder 220 from the folding cylinder 25. Eccentric bushings 236 have gear segments 240 rigidly fixed to them, meshing with a pinion 2 11 on shaft 212 rotatably mounted in journals on the machine frame. Hand wheel 2 13 fixed to shaft 24-2 is provided for turning the pinions and the eccentric journals. By use of these two means for moving cylinder 220, the distance of the transfer cylinder from each of the folding cylinders can be varied as desired. I

Means are also provided for insuring. the retention of the sheets on some of theseveral cylinders as due to the great bulk of the collected sheets, there is a tendency, at times, for the outside sheets to become free of the impaling pins. As embodied, there are provided a pluralityof retaining shoes or guides 250 having concave faces concentric with the axis of the cylinders about which they are placed, and theseguides are provided around the cylinders at such places as the heads of the sheets might tend to become detached from the impaling pins. In the present embodiment, these guides 250 are shown on the folding cylinder 121 between the collecting cylinder 169 and the folding roller208; on the transfercylinder 220 between the folding cylinders 25 and 121; and between folding roller 20'? and transfer cylinder 208. i

Figures 1 to 7 show, in a diagrammatic manner, certain of the possible optional oper ations of which the foregoing mechanism is capable. V

In Figure l, the transfer cylinder 220 and the collectin action of the impaling pins on the cutting cylinders 69 and 169 have been silenced. With the mechanism in this condition, the two groups of longitudinally folded webs are led to the cross-folding cylinder 25 and 121 from the formers 1 and 100. The lead ends of the webs have been caught by impaling pins 31 and '13? and on a slight further rotation of the folding cylinders the webs will be cut into sheets by the knives on cutting cylinders 69 and 169 and the new leadends of the webs will be impaled by pins 419 and 149. The cut sheets on the folding cylinders willthen be pushed out at their mid-pointinto the bight of folding rollers 199 and 200, and 20'. and 208 by folding blades 28'and 131 respectively. In

this mannereach of the foldin cylinders delivers two folded products each revolution.

ends of the webs are impaled by the pins on folding cylinders.

impaled by pin 49 which has already-impaled a sheet on cylinder 25. On further rotation, the twosuperposed sheets, or groups of sheets, are folded betweenrollers 199 and 200 by folding blade'29. In this way, no

sheets are folded on cylinder 121, and two products, each consistingof two sheets or groups of sheets, are folded off cylinder 25.

each revolution, giving products comprising two interfolded sections, each'of which may comprise a group of sheets.

Figure .6 shows the transfer cylinder 220 silenced, and pins 75 and 173 on cylinders 69 and 169 operating to collect sheets on the folding cylinders 25 and 121. Underthese conditions, each of the folding cylinders acts as a separate and independent mechanismcooperating with its own collecting and cutting cylinder. As shown, the lead of the web 13 first taken by the impahng pins on the collecting cylinder, and the web is wrapped around the collecting cylinder. After the collecting cylinder has made one full revolution, the impaling pin 173 or 75 is retracted, and impaling pin 31 or 149 on the folding cylinder 25 or 121 pierces the web, takes the lead end of the web on the collecting-cylinder, and the cutter bar 160 or 72 cuts theweb, allowing the folding cylinder to rotate carrying the lead end of the sheet superposed on the lead end of the web. After a half revolution, cutter bar 160 or 72 cuts the web forming two sheets on the folding cylinder which are then folded off by blade 130 or 29 and the lead of the web is transferred to pin 173 or 75. WVheneVer the collecting mechanism is in operation, one half of each folding cylinder carries '110 sheets, one folding blade and one set of :im-. paling pms, for each folding cyl1nder, iss1lenced.- This mannerof'operatlon resultsin theproduction of one interfoldedprode uct comprising two-sections of longitudinally folded sheets, or groups of sheets, each revolution of each folding cylinder.

In Fig. 7, the "collecting and transfer mechanisms are in use andthe operations shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are combined producing a single product comprising fourinterfolded sections, each comprising a sheet or group of sheets, each full revolution of both The sheets are collected on the folding cylinders in the manner shown in Figure 6, the folding mechanism for cylinder 121 beingentirelysilenced, and

"the collected sheets or groups of sheets on "two groups of sheets on this folding cylinder and all four groups are folded'oif together between the folding rollers 199 and 200, as a single product of four sections.

If desired, the perfecting units of the press, perfecting the Webs which are to form the outside sections of the paper, can be clothed rather heavily, the other units being normally clothed, thereby increasing the speed of the webs for the outside sections.

The foregoing describes some of the principal manners in which the mechanism can be operated, and the other manners of operation will be clear to those skilled in the art from this disclosure of the invention.

The invention in itsbroader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and Without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is 1. A sheet cutting and handling mecha-- nism including in combination means forlongitudinally webs, means for cutting the Webs into sheets, optionally operable means for collecting the sheets from each group of webs, optionally operable means for associating unfolded sheets from one group of Webs with sheets from another group of Webs and optionally operable means for folding the sheets from each group of webs separately or for folding the associated sheets.

2. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination means for cutting webs into sheets, optionally operable means for collecting the sheets from each group of webs, optionally operable means for associating unfolded sheets from one group of webs with sheets from another group of webs and optionally operable means for folding the sheets from each group of webs separately or for folding the associated sheets.

3. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination means] for longitudinally folding a plurality of groups of webs, means for cutting the webs into sheets, means for collecting the sheets from each group of webs, optionally operable means for associating unfolded sheets from one group of webs with sheets from another group of webs and optionally operable means for folding the sheets from each group of webs separately or for folding the associated sheets.

4. A sheet cutting and handling mechafld '.l l't of role f t 0 mg It p um 1 y g 1p 0 nism adapted to operate .on a plurality of nism including in combination means for longitudinally folding a plurality of "groups of Webs, means for cutting the webs into sheets, optionally operable means for collectingthe sheets from each m'eans for associating unfolded sheets from one groupof webs with sheets from another ,group of Webs and'optionallyoperable means for folding sheets from each group of webs separately or for folding the associated sheets. y i y r y 5. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including combination :means for longitudinally folding a plurality of groups of. Webs, means for cutting the websinto sheets, optionally operable means "for collectingthe sheets from each group of webs, optionally operable means for. associating sheets from from another group of webs and optionally operable means for folding the sheet from each group of webs.

6. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism of webs, means fo cutti g the webs into sheets, optionally operable means for ooh lecting the sheets from each group of webs,

group of webs,

one group ofwebswitlusheets including in combinationmeans for longitudinally folding a plurality of groups means for associating sheets from one group of Webs With sheets from another group of Webs and optionally operable means for folding sheets from each group of Web's.

7. A sheet cutting and handling mech'a;

groups of webs including in combination means for cutting 'web'sinto sheets, means for collecting the sheets from each group of webs, means for associating sheets "from one group of Webs "with sheets from another group ofwebs and optionally operable means for folding sheets 8. Asheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination means for from each group of webs.

lit

longitudinally folding a plurality of groups of webs, means forcutfing the Webs into sheets, means for collecting "the sheets from each group of ebs, optionally operable means for associating sheets from one group of webs with sheets from anotherfgrou of Webs "and optionallyoperable means for olding the sheetsfrom eac groupof webs.

9. A sheet cutting and handling mechanismincludingin combination a folding cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally operable to collect sheets on the folding cylinder, a transfer cylinder cooperating with said folding cylinder, afour'th cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally operablejto collect sheets on the transfer cylinder, and means for silencingsaid folding cylinder and transferringthe sheets to the fourth cylinder.

10. A sheet cutting and handling meehanism includingin combi a'tion afolding cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally op-, erable to collect sheets on the folding cylinder, a transfer cylinder cooperating with said folding cylinder, a fourth cylinder optionsheets from one folding cylinder to the other.

12. A sheet cutting and handling mecha nism including in combination a pair of folding cylinders for folding sheets cut from webs, a collecting cylinder for each folding cylinder optionally operable to collect sheets on the folding cylinders, a transfer cylinder between the folding cylinders to transfer sheets from one folding cylinder to the other, and means for moving the transfer cylinder toward and from the folding cylinders to accommodate a different number of sheets.

13. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination a pair of folding cylinders for folding sheets cut from webs, a. collecting cylinder for each folding cylinder optionally operable to collect sheets on the folding cylinders, an optionally operable transfer cylinder between the folding cylinders to transfer sheets from one folding cylinder to the other. g 14. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally operable to collectjsheets onfthe folding cylinder, a third cylinder optionally operable to supply sheetsto'be transferred to the folding cylinder or to fold a group of sheets, and a collecting cylinder optionally operable'to collect sheets on the third cylinder.

g 15. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a collecting cylinder optionally operabetween them to transfer sheets from one folding cylinder to the other, an eccentric mounting for the transfer cylinder and a slidable member in which the eccentric is rality of webs, a plurality of folding cylinders, an optionally operable transfer means to transfer sheets from one folding cylinder to another, and means for non-simultaneously cutting the webs into sheets.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST JAMES SMITH.

ble tocollect sheets on the folding cylinder,

a transfer cylinder cooperating with said folding cylinder, a fourth'cylinder optionally operable to supply sheets tothe transfer cylinder to be transferred to said, folding cylinder or to fold a group of sheets and a collecting cylinder optionally operable to collect sheets on the fourth cylinder. V

16. A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination a pair of folding cylinders, a transfer cylinderzinterposed between them to transfer sheets from one folding cylinder to the other, and means for, variably positioning the transfer. cylinder for difierentthicknesses of products.

17 A sheet cutting and handling mechanism including in combination a pair of folding cylinders, a transfer cylinder interposed 

